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Elen Rhys and Julian Looman on new daytime cop show The Mallorca Files

Elen Rhys and Julian Looman join forces to lead brand-new daytime cop drama series The Mallorca Files. We quizzed the duo about making this sunny, feelgood TV show

The Mallorca Files stars Elen Rhys as DC Miranda Blake and Julian Looman as DC Max Winter
The Mallorca Files stars Elen Rhys as DC Miranda Blake and Julian Looman as DC Max Winter The Mallorca Files stars Elen Rhys as DC Miranda Blake and Julian Looman as DC Max Winter

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTERS, DETECTIVE MAX WINTER AND DETECTIVE MIRANDA BLAKE.

J: Max has been on the island for three years now and the island has got a different way of treating things – it's very slowed down on the island... and then British Miranda comes along.

E: [Miranda] is obsessed with work, and her fight for justice annoys her bosses. She can't let things lie. I could identify with her at once. I knew immediately I could play her. [As for the duo], they have completely different schools of thought when it comes to policing, they couldn't be any more different, so that's always going to make for interesting drama, banter and conflict.

HOW DOES THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOP?

E: From Miranda's point of view, with any sort of partnership, over time they develop trust and a friendship develops – and some affection. But it does take time because at first Miranda resists it completely. They also complement each other very well and they both become stronger by working together, even though she would hate to admit it. Each episode gives you a bit more information about them and leaves you wanting more.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE MALLORCA FILES?

E: It's great writing. Dan's [Sefton] scripts have everything. They interweave drama, comedy and action; they tick all the boxes. It's such an exciting project – and the character of Miranda is so complex. She softens a little as the series goes on so there's a lovely arc, but I was gleaming throughout all the scripts I was reading. I just knew that it would be such a good duo and dynamic to play.

J: I really liked the [classic 1980s US TV show] Moonlighting aspect. These are not only crime stories, but they are also about an ongoing relationship. That's something the audience will really warm to. You see Max and Miranda's relationship develop, and you don't know where it's going. It's also this entirely cosmopolitan show, so I was interested to work with people from different nations and to get together and make this thing in Mallorca.

IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF 'WILL THEY, WON'T THEY?'?

E: Definitely. The beauty of this situation is that obstacles are constantly in their way. If they did get together, the show would be over! Viewers will want them to be together, but they're not. Seeing Miranda and Max grow towards each other will bring people back to The Mallorca Files week after week. Do they fall in love? You'll have to watch to find out!

J: It's the reward you get if you watch from episode one to episode 10. I think audiences will get very emotionally attached to these two characters.

TELL US ABOUT SHOOTING IN MALLORCA

E: I had been before and worked there, actually. There's a lot of preconceptions with Mallorca and hopefully this will help broaden people's ideas. As you can see it is an incredible island; you've got the mountains and amazing beaches and the vibrant city, it's got so much to offer and of course we get access to the best locations on a job like this. Every day we say 'wow' about 100 times.

J: The cool thing about the island is it's so different, so you have the mountains and then you have the vineyards, the beaches. And Palma is a very cultural city, you don't have to miss anything.

:: Mallorca Files starts on BBC One today